American Style!

I heard him speak today on the radio (recorded from around the mid 1960's)


"I don't think the whole of Southeast Asia, as related to the present and future safety and freedom of the people of this country, is worth the life or limb of a single American [and] I believe that if we had and would keep our dirty bloody dollar crooked fingers out of the business of these nations so full of depressed exploited people, they will arrive at a solution of their own design and want, that they fight and work for. And if, unfortunately, their revolution must be of the violent type…at least what they get will be their own and not the American style, which they don't want…crammed down their throat"

General David M. Shoup, a former commandant of the Marine Corps (60-63) and a bearer of the Congressional Medal of Honor.


Replace "Southeast Asia" with "the Middle East" and it still holds true for today. Going after bin Laden - Necessary, Establishing "democracy"- not worth the life or limb of a single American.

From David M. Shoup: A Warrior against War By Howard Jablon (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005)